Lost Dilemma
by Hotaru7
Summary: 1x2.AU.Heero and Duo are heirs to thrones of two rival nations. Besides just the war to deal with, there are internal conflicts too. Read and find out how these two polar people come to cross paths. {Chapter 3 up}
1. LD I

Hey there. It's nice to start writing a fic again. Finally I'm writing about my favorite pairing, 1x2. Enjoy.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the GW characters so don't sue.  
  
"A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon."  
  
-Napoleon Bonaparte  
  
---  
  
Lost Dilemma I-  
  
The sun rose, as it did every morning, slowly over the battle scarred remains of what used to be a stunningly beautiful land. No denying it, it was still a beautiful land, however, the stench of death and blood invaded the air.  
  
The sunlight was warming, like an innocent blanket over the dying greenery. The plants had deteriorated over the years, slowly losing their once present luster. It was as if they knew; as if they felt that a war was happening between two rival nations, and had chosen not to see the death of the last warrior, for even though the humans could not feel it, something was coming.  
  
There was a war. Not just any war, but a war that had raged on for centuries. A war that went farther than just killing the opponent, but a war that reached the abyss of the minds of those involved, embedded in history forever.  
  
Two nations fought, and still fought until the meaning just seemed to disappear. People began to wonder, what was the point anymore? What was the meaning behind it? Simple. The war had continued on for centuries with no victor, and neither side would admit defeat or give in any sign of wanting to call a truce or a peace treaty. The first nation to do so would be considered weak, and it would be recorded in history forever. Foolish, it seemed, that people would fight for a reputation in the future when the present seemed all the more important, but people can be strange.  
  
Here on the dawning of a new day, something was going to change; something major, and it was going to impact the outcome of the war forever...  
  
---  
  
The room was spotless. Clean enough that you wondered how it were possible that anything could be so neat. The scheme of the room was black and white. Tiles that were black marble with a small diamond of white granite on them plated the floor. Stunning furniture littered the room, blending in with the light grayish-blue walls and other features to make an elegant and mysterious room. A covered window hid a stunning view of a lake, however, as of late the tranquility of the view had dwindled. White bed hangings rested gently on the black silk bed sheets, which were dented with the pressure exerted by a body.  
  
A body lay on the bed in light slumber. Perfect features graced the face: brown hair, which was highlighted in some places by the few rays of sunlight that escaped through the screen, flawless lips, slightly parted as the boy took in deep breaths, his elegant, yet strong chest rising and falling gracefully. A few hints of creamy skin were visible from under the silken sheets, flawless in every way.  
  
Cobalt blue eyes flickered open, pausing for a fleeting second on the ceiling before closing again and reopening. He was Heero Yuy. The boy who was the heir to the throne of Eleter, a nation which had been at war for centuries. Right now he was tired beyond belief, but he heaved himself out of bed, never disregarding his duties for an instant.  
  
The night before had been extremely taxing on him both mentally and physically, but nowadays it seemed as if everyday was getting worse and worse. Heero had lessons for the first half of the day and then physical training ranging from archery, sword play, hand-to-hand combat, horsemanship, and a number of other activities. It was possible that he was being worked so hard because the current king was suffering from a most likely terminal disease. He was very contagious and was not allowed any visitors save for the doctors who wore protective suits. Heero had not seen his father in months. Odin, the king, had been giving orders to his look alike who had been informing him of what was coming to pass in the war. So far the opposing kingdom, Dareal, had not suspected anything, or so they hoped.  
  
Heero stepped into the shower. Warm water slid down his supple body, causing him to sigh in satisfaction. However, he soon had to end his short period of bliss and attend to his daily routine. Slipping into tight white pants, a white shirt with a black bow tied at front and a blue cape, Heero put on his knee high boots and walked out his room and into the marble hallway. He sometimes hated wearing these clothes, and today was one of those days. He seemed not to have received enough sleep and was sluggish as he made his way down the expansive staircase and into the breakfast parlor.  
  
"Ah! Good morning, Heero!" Heero was greeted by his mother as soon as he had walked in.  
  
"Morning," and a nod of the head was all she got as Heero sat across from her on the glass table.  
  
Food was set in front of him by a maid and Heero began to eat. The food would have tasted incredibly delicious to any outsider, however, Heero ate it as if it made no difference because he was used to eating it and it tasting as it did so now. Drusella, Heero's mother, didn't bother making conversation. She knew that Heero would only respond with 'hn,' or 'I see,' or some such thing like that. He was unresponsive, but especially unresponsive in the morning, and now with what happened with his father...  
  
Drusella tried not to think much about it. She didn't want to depress herself even more than she already was. There was finally a break in the war and she planned on using that to her benefit. She had not been allowed outside the castle area on her husbands order in fear of being kidnaped or assassinated. As much as she respected her husbands decisions, this may be the only time in years that she would be allowed outside the castle grounds.  
  
Drusella also knew that Heero would be ascending the throne soon. It was only a matter of time before Odin died. A sad frown creased Drusella's brow; she wanted to go see Odin. She got up to leave just as Heero finished.  
  
"Excuse me darling," she said before quickly hurrying out.  
  
Heero nodded and got up himself to head towards the library. Since he preferred not to exercise his body right after a meal, Heero started his daily reading in his favorite chair near the window in the library. He stayed there for the next two and a half hours before finally stretching and heaving himself off the comfortable chair towards the training room.  
  
Today he elected to train alone and dismissed his trainer/sparring partner after finishing some of his other activities. He felt like being alone. Changing into more appropriate clothes for working out, Heero started a light jog which turned into run around the expansive gym. After two miles, he stopped, sufficiently warmed up. Next, he chose to bench press for an hour. This done, he picked up his sword and experimented with a few practice swings, trying to get used to the weight of the sword. Eventually he was making strong slashes in the air and as he maneuvered around an invisible enemy. To an untrained onlooker, it seemed like Heero was executing a strange, yet beautiful dance.  
  
Heero trained for hours and hours, way over his required and maximum limit. For some reason he felt like he had to. Almost as if he had to be better than his father who was known to be the best in the land. It was said that nobody could beat him, however, Heero was more than determined. He could feel streams of sweat flowing down all over his body. He felt like he was going to collapse, but he carried on. He had never before worked this hard and he was determined to utilize all of his wild, intense energy as much as he could. As Heero's session came to a close he took on last swing in the air and landed with one knee on the ground and one foot.  
  
The pain that had seemed to disappear when he was training and moving, came crashing down on him all at once. His muscles groaned in protest as he staggered up. Heero knew he had to get back to his room. If his mother saw him she would throw a fit, and at this moment he wasn't in the mood. Swaying as he started to walk, pain wracked his body. This was an exhaustion he hadn't felt before. Heero sank to his knees on the soft padding of the floor and let unconsciousness swallow him.  
  
---  
  
The day came to an end and fading sunlight shone through the open window, a light breeze sailed in reluctantly. Heero lay on his bed, lost in a dream.  
  
The dream concluded with a boy, not much older than him. He just stared at Heero with...amethyst eyes? Amethyst? Which being had amethyst eyes? Heero had never seen such a person. Then Heero saw something that was almost as unusual. That was a yard long, chestnut braid going down the boy's back. Eyes stared at Heero. He felt like he should look away, but the temptation was too much. The boy wore all black, the distinction between the different garments not obvious. His body was something Heero could not take his eyes off. It was slender and strength was well disguised in that lithe body, nonetheless it was there. If he could just have that body under him...moaning....writhing...Heero shook his head. What was he thinking? Why was he feeling this now?  
  
Then suddenly they were in a field now and the boy had a dagger. Heero instinctively tried stepping into a defensive stance, however, he found himself paralyzed. The boy raised the dagger and Heero noticed how beautiful it really was with its solid platinum, jewel encrusted handle attached to a blade made of Gundanium, the toughest metal known to man. However, Heero had little time to marvel at the dagger as it descended towards him an alarming rate. He stared at the dagger, in his last moments he didn't want to die a coward. Instead of piercing his flesh, the dagger dug into the Earth. Heero looked up at the boy, but he vanished in mists of smoke. A light started shining in the distance and he tried to reach up for it, grasping with all his might, however, much as he tried he just could get it. The light started spreading in his line of vision and just as he though it was going to consume him, he awoke, startled.  
  
Sweat, cold and sticky, rolled down his back. His sheets were drenched. Heero looked amazed down at them. This had never happened before and that mysterious boy...Who was he? Why was he in his dream? What did he want? These and many other questions sped through Heero's mind.  
  
The time was only three o'clock in the morning. Had he slept all that time? Heero realized that he didn't check the time when he came back into his room so he had no idea when he finished training. In fact, he had very little recollection of the previous night. It was all a haze of pictures and sounds. Someone must have brought him here, but who? He couldn't remember being lifted to anywhere. Oh well, he could find out later.  
  
Heero lay back, exhausted mentally and still physically. He was due to awake in at most four hours so he might as well catch some rest. Crawling back into bed from his sprawled out position, Heero lay his head back on a soft pillow and let slumber consume him. He would deal with this later in the morning.  
  
---  
  
Odin was dying and he knew it. No longer could he keep hope. His wife had visited him earlier and asked him to continue on living, however, Odin knew that the last chapter in his book of life was coming to a close, forever. He hated living like this: no being able to see his son, always meeting people through glass or in suits, and he was just plain sick of the damned war. He had the utmost faith in Heero. He had made sure that Heero receive the best education and training from the most reputable of people. He would not settle for less on his offspring.  
  
One thing, however, that he did not converse with Heero about and that was love. Heero had always had decently loving parents who cared for him when they were not busy, which was not too often. However, no denying that Odin and Drusella had faith in Heero. They knew that Heero was a smart boy, never receiving unsatisfactory grades and always excelling in his physical training. They were confident and proud about Heero. He would make an excellent ruler.  
  
Then this case of love came up several times. Would Heero fall in love with someone? He didn't seem the type too bow down to emotions, but Drusella and Odin knew that Heero understood that the family name needed to be carried on. They knew that Heero wouldn't be reckless and unfaithful to anyone. This closed the matter for quite a long time.  
  
Now Odin was looking back, reviewing all that had to be done. He could always fill in an advisor who would tell Heero what was going on in more depth. That was settled. He called over a servant, clothed in a air tight suit and told him to retrieve an advisor.  
  
---  
  
Heero made his way downstairs. It was silent as of now, however, in half an hour the servants would be waking and bustling about. Heero liked it this way, quiet and alone. He went to the kitchen in search of food. Finding some bread, he had some toast with marmalade while peering at the clock, which read five o'clock AM. He couldn't have waited much longer in bed even though he knew that he would be reprimanded for venturing out his bed.  
  
For the next couple of hours, Heero killed time by reading in the library. He heard the beginnings of life starting to stir within the expansive property. Heero sighed and got up to attend to other things.  
  
---  
  
"Sire, we will attack within the next month."  
  
"Is that all they can give us? Such a brief estimate? That is surely to long a period of time for us to stay encamped here."  
  
A tired general replied to his subordinate. Eleter. That name forever remained in his mind. His home land, Dareal, had been at war with Eleter since long ago. He was given orders to take over a small Eleterian village to use as a base, however, he was not allowed to make much commotion as the opposing nation was never to find out. That was what he was supposed to do; whether that happened or not was for fate to decide. He had just received orders to halt the attack for several weeks because of some inter-nation spying. They might not have to take the village and the general, General Anatsu, had no wish to do so. He was a ruthless man, however, scruples were not lost on him. He had no desire to plunder the moderately poor village for fun or to capture the women for pleasure like other crude generals would. No denying he had faithfulness to his nation, but yet, he followed the general laws guiding a humane society.  
  
"Yes sir," replied the subordinate.  
  
"Very well, that is fine with me, dismissed."  
  
"Aye sir," and with that and a nod and touch to the hat, the subordinate walked turned and walked out the tent.  
  
"We will have to wait and see now," sighed Anatsu as he sat down on his makeshift desk to go over battle plans, "what comes, comes."  
  
---  
  
Amethyst eyes started out the window, lost. They were placed on a face that had beauty which far surpassed that of any other person in the land. A long, slender neck accentuated a flawless face with creamy skin. His body was lithe and pliant, the idol of all who met him. However, the most stunning aspect of the boy was his long chestnut braid that reached down to the end of his back. Dim sunlight streamed filtered through the many trees outside the window and into the room, highlighting the boy in splashes, making him look ethereal.  
  
A sharp command broke the dream-like trance of the teen.  
  
"Duo Maxwell, come here right now!" called a man from the next room.  
  
Duo got up and walked into the room to meet his foster father in his chair at his desk. Duo's parents had died a long time ago when he was young so he had no recollection of them. Haji and Usagi had been taken him in because Usagi was barren, unable to produce a single heir. They had seen Duo at an orphanage/slave house and noticed how determined, stubborn, and strong Duo was and saw him as their heir to the throne. They didn't really love Duo, sure they liked him, but to them he was just a person to pass on the responsibility of ruling the nation. He had been tested through training that most nobles and royalty were put through in the recent years and had passed with flying colors, proving his capability. Very few people actually knew that Duo was an orphan and so far very little information had leaked out.  
  
"I hope you know in light of the recent assassination attempts your daily training will doubled. We cannot have a weak ruler. The time may come when I will not be around and we have no idea when that will occur so best be prepared."  
  
Duo nodded in acquiescence.  
  
"I will make sure to double my efforts."  
  
"Very good. That's the spirit."  
  
Duo nodded minutely. He knew that his 'parents' didn't really love him, but that didn't really bother him. He would be all alone soon enough as his father passed away. However, he preferred to be as such, never having to put up with other people. That was the best part of being alone. He remembered that day clearly as he sat down in his usual chair near the window. He remembered it, but yet it seemed like it was fading slowly as the years progressed.  
  
++++++++++ Flash Back++++++++++  
  
They looked at him like he was some animal that was in the zoo, peering down at him with scrutiny.  
  
"And you're sure that this boy has remained untouched?"  
  
The owner of the orphanage wasn't sure if the lady meant physically which he was sure the boy was not or politically, but then he remembered that the boy was only seven. He knew that a boy that age couldn't already have a political opinion.  
  
"Yes, I am positive. He has never been adopted before so there is no prior influence on him."  
  
The king and queen nodded.  
  
"Good. We don't want a plotter or a conspirator in our midst. Nor, of course, a boy who is not..." the king trailed off.  
  
"Of course, my lord," said the owner, bowing low, showing his understanding."  
  
Hopefully he would be able to snag a couple of extra gold pieced if he treated his guest with the utmost respect. He was rewarded generously with a brown sack filled with gold coins.  
  
"That shall take care of him," said the king, "send him out to us. Our carriage awaits just outside the gates."  
  
"Very well, sire. I will see to him being there shortly," and after the owner's bow, the king and queen whirled out towards the beautiful carriage a few meters away. "Do you think this was a good decision?" Haji said to his wife.  
  
"It's the only choice we have," replied Usagi, "and besides, he'll turn out to be good, just you wait."  
  
"I sincerely hope so."  
  
--  
  
"Let me go!" screamed a seven-year-old Duo, kicking fiercely against the older man's iron grip.  
  
"Pipe down!" screamed the owner. He was not going to let his good fortune be ruined by the young boy.  
  
Duo struggled with new vigor as he was pushed forward. He was forced down a corridor into a room where he was put on a chair and chains wrapped around his ankles and arms.  
  
"Now don't move or this will hurt even more." Duo knew what they were going to do. Every unfortunate person which passed through those doors and was going to have lodging in this dismal place was branded on the neck and wrist. However, as soon as they were going to leave the tattoo on their necks were burned off, but the ones on their wrists were left on, forever a reminder. Duo writhed even more as he saw the hot iron coming towards him.  
  
"Stop moving!" yelled the owner loudly.  
  
Duo did not stop. However, another man soon came and held his head back, exposing that milky neck. Duo screamed as he felt the hot metal touch his skin, burning through his epidermis. He screamed for all he was worth until a gag was placed on his mouth. Choking, Duo wondered if he could just die. It seemed like it would be so much simpler than going through this excruciating torture. After a horrendous five minutes the pain was gone, but Duo was passing in between consciousness and unconsciousness. However, a bath in ice cold water was more than sufficient in waking him up.  
  
"Get up! There are very important people waiting for you!"  
  
Throughly awoken by now, Duo struggled to his feet. Clothes were roughly tossed to him along with a comb. Duo knew what to do and set out to complete his ablutions.  
  
---  
  
"I wonder what is taking that boy so long!" muttered Usagi.  
  
"Patience dear, they should be out any second now." Haji said sighing.  
  
"We'll have to clean him up when we get back home so people don't know where he comes from."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"I noticed some tattoos on him. Do you think they will remove them? I thought that the man...what was his name?...oh, whatever, it doesn't matter, but didn't he say that the tattoos placed on the skin in a way that it was done nowhere else? Didn't he also say that they couldn't get them removed anywhere else?"  
  
"Stop panicking dear. Im sure they will remove all the tattoos and if they don't we can always hide them with a peace of clothing or such. They public will rarely see him anyway and they aren't exactly blatant."  
  
"Very well dear." she sighed.  
  
---  
  
Duo didn't go quietly at first, but then he realized that at least he would be getting out of this hell-hole. He was ushered across the dead lawns of the orphanage/slave house. Two people emerged from a carriage just several meters away. Duo looked at them as they neared. He could tell already that he could never love these people. In fact, Duo didn't know who he could love. It was a rather foreign emotion to him as he was never exposed to it. Climbing into the carriage, Duo felt uneasiness. He did not know why he was here, and right at this moment the sick feeling in his stomach told him that it didn't want to know either.  
  
++++++++++End of Flash Back++++++++++  
  
Duo was dreaming. He was walking down a long corridor. At first Duo was curious the walls were a light green shade. However, he saw the doorway ahead of him beginning to shrink. He panicked. He needed to get out of this hallway because for some reason he felt like he just had to. The walls flared red as he was panicking and becoming frustrated, which, in turn made him angry. Duo was running so fast that he could not feel his legs anymore. His heart was throbbing against his chest. He was almost there...the walls turned a parade blue, but Duo had not time to marvel at how they did that. All he knew was that he had reached the archway. Flinging himself through it, he found himself sliding towards an exquisite young boy who was raising his arm as if to strike him, however, this did not happen. Quite the contrary happened. The boy caught Duo in his arms. Duo looked up into stunning Prussian eyes. Duo felt like drowning in their depths. Strong arms encased him, showing off the power that was hidden in the boy. Tousled brown hair accented an exquisite face. Duo peered into the blue pools again only a second early before the boy vanished into thin air and he fell towards the dark ground. He woke up with a jolt and found himself on the ground with his fallen chair.  
  
"I was just dreaming," panted out Duo to himself as he wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead.  
  
He didn't know what had just happened. Who was that boy that had caught him and disappeared? Duo had never seen him in his dreams before now. All he knew was that he was connected somehow with this person and that night after his training sessions, he lay tired in his bed with only one feeling...foreboding.  
  
---  
  
Well here is the first chapter. I know it is boring because it explains about their backgrounds more than any real plot or1x2 goodness. Just build up. That will come in later chapters. I promise!  
  
Until next time,  
  
Hotaru 


	2. LD II

Well, it has been a long time. So sorry for that. I've been busy lately. Thanks very much to those who reviewed!!-  
  
Mariana1, BluePig, MiakaChan5, Changing Seasons, leemax, Kael Kalespel, dark cloud, Fragile, Hikaru, Kenren19, rikasakuraduo-heerosyliaspike, sg, summer, Aymery, Dole, violeteyes, sanamimorris.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the GW characters so don't sue.  
  
"Only the dead have seen the end of war."  
  
-Plato  
  
---  
  
The rising sun was hidden by a sheet of dark clouds. The weather mimicked the mood of the day. The war raged on, death tolls mounting. Duo found himself sitting on a comfortable chair behind a brownish-grayish desk. He was absentmindedly tracing patterns around the desktop with the back of his pencil. His teacher stood before him, lecturing as usual. Duo's book was open, however, he was not paying any attention, his mind already preoccupied. His teacher, Trent, noticed this.  
  
"Master Maxwell, are you paying attention?" Duo flinched at the use of the formal endearment with his last name. Most of the time when they were alone in their lesson Trent would call him by his first name, but now he was irritated.  
  
"...Um..."  
  
"Is something wrong?" A worried tone ebbed into Trent's voice.  
  
"...Not really." Duo was mulling over his dream several days ago with the mysterious boy in it, however, he could not very well tell that to his teacher, no matter how intimate their relationship was. They may be good friends, but Duo wanted to keep some things to himself.  
  
"Well, I suppose this will conclude our lesson for today. Besides, it seems you need some time to think on whatever seems to be egging at you."  
  
"Right." With that, Trent walked out of the study.  
  
Duo sat motionless. The more he thought about the dream, the more it seemed to fade away into the fabric of time. After some while like this, Duo grew weary and got up to return to his quarters. Once there he plopped down on his down doublet and stretched lazily. The sunlight was making him drowsy, however, his stomach called. Duo then realized he had not eaten for several hours and hopped off the bed to run down the stairs and into the kitchen.  
  
In the corridor that separated the kitchen from the other parts of the house, Duo stopped. Something smelled interesting. He could not quite pick up what it was, but it smelled familiar. Then it clicked and he ran as fast as he could into the kitchen. There, he was stopped in his tracks. A body, drenched in glistening blood, lay motionless. Duo paused for a split second before rushing towards it. His breath was stuck in his throat as he knelt down and turned the body over with trembling hands only to reveal what he had feared.  
  
Usagi lay there, her body already paling from the loss of blood. Her eyes were beginning to dim slowly.  
  
"D-Duo? I-is that you?"  
  
"Yes, I'm here so hang on." Duo knew that his foster parents did not share very many feelings for him, and he felt the same, however, they had raised him and he knew he owed them his life. He was nothing, a nobody, before they came along. He made to get up to call for help, but the grip of his foster mother, held him back. "It is-t-too late for me. P-promise you will rule the n-nation when Haji and I are gone?"  
  
"Of course, but-"  
  
"Shh...silence child. There is no doubt that I will die. I know I haven't showed you affection as a mother should, but I can leave you with one th- thing." Usagi's voice seemed to strengthen as she spoke. "I will leave you with this one thing."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Silence child! Go into my room and look behind the painting of the black rose. There is a safe there. The combination to the lock is 32.5.1. Inside, there will be only one thing. Take it. It is now yours."  
  
"No! Stop!...you-" Duo's voice faltered. Usagi now lay in his lap, her soft eyes closing.  
  
"Farewell, Duo."  
  
"I-" Duo stopped as Usagi's body went limp and lifeless.  
  
"No! This is not happening!" Duo rushed down the corridor, Usagi's blood down his front. He found a servant and told them to call his father, medics, and some law enforcement in a rushed voice.  
  
"Right away, sir," said the servant, bolting down the corridor.  
  
Duo paused in the hallway, a myriad of thoughts racing through his mind as he sunk to the cool marble floor, Usagi's blood traveling down his palms and onto the floor. It was just like what had happened before when he was a child. The memories came racing back to him of his dear friend, Solo, lying motionless in the deserted alleyway. Duo buried his head in his arms which now rested on his knees.  
  
Footsteps slapped the floor, signaling the approach of a group of people. At this, Duo promptly got up. Usagi needed help and now was not the time to be weak. Several men, presumably the medics, and his adoptive father came into view.  
  
"Where is she?" Haji yelled.  
  
"In the kitchen." Duo said in a voice which was surprisingly articulate.  
  
"Come on, let's go!"  
  
Duo chose to run after them, but then halted as he remembered what Usagi had said. However, he berated himself for thinking such thoughts because even though there was a minute chance of her surviving, she may well pull through. Duo didn't think he should take anything of Usagi's if she were still alive. With that in mind, he raced to the kitchen only to see Haji leaning over his wife, clutching her hand in what looked like a death grip.  
  
Duo croaked out, "Well?"  
  
"I'm terribly sorry, but she has passed away," replied one of the men standing near him.  
  
"Ok boys, wrap up!" said another.  
  
"Please leave the body where it is." A gentle voice told Haji.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"The cause of death was a bullet to the heart, most likely from a sniper."  
  
"But-"  
  
"There will be more men coming in to check the room to determine where the shot came from. There are already men searching the grounds. I suggest you stay away from the windows and do not allow anyone to leave the castle. Moreover, you should block off all ways of getting in and out of the kingdom."  
  
Haji, mouth was dry and he choked out something incoherent before getting up and walking away in a trance like state to go fulfill the necessary precautions.  
  
"The same applies to you, young man. Don't come near the body. I'm already blocking off this section of the house. You are in danger too, so the same precautions are employed to you."  
  
Duo nodded and walked out of the kitchen. He somehow made his way into his bed chamber and let himself be swallowed into the soft down of the bed. Red hot anger consumed him as he vowed to murder the bastard who had done this. In a rather vindictive mood, Duo disregarded the fact that standing next to a window dangerous and walked up to the window on the far side of the room. Hot tears started to cascade down his cheeks silently. After looking out onto the emerald grass of the grounds for a while. Duo retired to his bed to fall into a deep slumber.  
  
---  
  
"Did you get him?"  
  
A sigh echoed from the young man's lips.  
  
"What? Don't tell me you started all that ruckus up at the castle and you didn't even get the heir?" "There was no way I could get him, sir!" The boy said quickly. "He was nowhere near any window and I had to leave after I shot the old woman."  
  
"Which old woman."  
  
"The queen."  
  
"Ah...that, I suppose, is better than nothing."  
  
"Uh...Thank you, sir."  
  
"Hm..."  
  
"Can I be of any assistance?"  
  
"No, you ma return to your tent. I think we will be leaving for Eleter by tomorrow morning."  
  
"Yes, sir!"  
  
General Miste looked to the castle some odd twenty five miles away. He was decently happy as at least they had nailed one of the royalty. He wondered what would happen next. The war still raged on with no end in clear sight. A sigh escaped his lips. Tomorrow would bring a new day of war.  
  
---  
  
Duo woke with a start from a haunting dream about his adoptive mother. Blood was a reoccurring site and he felt more tired than he had before he had gone to sleep.  
  
"Oh!" Duo remembered the 'something' that Usagi wanted him to have.  
  
He debated whether to get it or not. Finally, he peeked out into the corridor. A couple of guards were patrolling the corridors. Duo groaned. They were there for his protection in case something happened, but right now Duo wasn't in the mood to share as to why he was sneaking into his mother's private belongings. Besides it would elicit suspicion. He decided to try again later and chose to entertain himself with a book as the sky outside indicated that night had fallen sometime ago.  
  
---  
  
"What happened?" Haji questioned the general who was heading the investigation.  
  
"We know that the queen was shot in the heart by a sniper. The bullet came in through the west window in the kitchen."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Pardon me, sir, but and what?"  
  
"Did you find him?"  
  
"I'm terribly sorry but we have not been able to locate the sniper. The grounds were searched along with the woods. The only evidence we found of our sniper was gunpowder residue on a hill nearby."  
  
"I want you to find him! Do whatever it takes!"  
  
But, sir-"  
  
"I want you to find him and I want you do find him now!"  
  
"Of course, sir." The general bowed and left the room.  
  
Haji sat down on the couch, silently crying, however, the tears of sadness were replaced with those of anger. Haji vowed to kill the sniper. He vowed to kill every Eleterian with his own hands by any means possible. Abruptly standing up, Haji raced through the castle utilizing the secret passages to avoid anyone else. Soon he found himself outside the castle and in the crisp night air. He acquired some armor and then went to the stables to pick out the best horse. Once suited up and ready, Haji took off into the deep night.  
  
---  
  
Heero was somewhat satisfied. He had just received a report that stated that the queen of Dareal was dead. Although he was hoping it had been his adversary which he had never seen, Heero was still gratified that the queen was dead as it would slow Dareal down for sometime with all the arrangements and such. Heero blamed the deterioration of health of his father on Dareal even though they did not know that he was dying. He pushed these thoughts aside as he addressed the kneeling general in front of him.  
  
"Very well, you are dismissed."  
  
General Miste rose from his kneeling position and bowed once before departing, leaving Heero to his own thoughts. He walked to the balcony and opened the French doors which led him onto it. He wanted the war to end. This had always been father's wish dying father. The enemy did not have anything to do with it, or did they? ---  
  
"Master Duo!"  
  
Duo cringed and cursed as he dove behind the covers. He had just been about to sneak to his mother's room, however, the yell had sent him back under the covers. The door burst open to reveal the culprit, a servant.  
  
"Master Duo!" he panted. Duo was starting to get a tinge of worry at the state of the man.  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
"It's your father, the king!"  
  
Duo froze. Shivers of fear lanced through his body.  
  
"What? What happened?"  
  
"The king, he- he-"  
  
---  
  
Well this chapter was more interesting than the others, wouldn't you agree? So sorry that it is short compared to the last one. Thank for reading.  
  
Until next time,  
  
Hotaru 


	3. LD III

I'm terribly sorry this took an exorbitant amount of time to get this chapter posted.

I would like to thank all of those who reviewed: Chocolate. Mmmm, SouriMaxwellYuy, Malevolent Lady, spikee, Shaeric Draconis, Kelp Soda, Plastic Tree, Arifel, leemax, HieiTheDarkGem and anyone who I have forgotten.

Thank you very much!

Special thanks go to SouriMaxwellYuy and Malevolent Ladyfor pointing out that huge mistake I thought I had changed it but I lost some of the chapter because of major word processor problem ( I don't use Microsoft Word). Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. I don't know how to show my gratitude.

For any of you who are reading Captured Treasures, I'm going to work on the next chapter as soon as this one is up.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing.

"In war, there are no unwounded soldiers."  
  
-Jose Narosky

---  
  
"He WHAT? Spit it out!" Duo yelled, concern and slight panic welling up in his throat.  
  
"He has disappeared!"  
  
"What do you mean? He can't just disappear! There are guards everywhere!"  
  
"I'm sorry sir, but no one saw him after he went into his bedchamber," replied the shaky messenger.  
  
"Has the entire property been checked?"  
  
"The process is underway."  
  
Duo sat down, not out of shock, but a need to think. To say that his father and he shared a nuclear patriarch to son relationship would be a lie. They barely spent time with each other, and rarely talked about anything but the war when they were together. However, Duo remembered that he was given a home because of his foster parents. With the death of his mother, Duo felt it an obligation to do something, and it was not in his nature to sit around and do nothing.  
  
"Who is on the operation?"  
  
"Sir, I believe it is General Ngai."  
  
"Well, inform him that I will be joining him shortly."  
  
"But, sir! It is much to dangerous! The sniper who shot your mother has not been located!"  
  
"I will deem whether it is dangerous or not!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"Do not defy direct orders! You will go and tell him that I will be joining him shortly!" Duo was not fond of exercising his power, but now was not the time to be thinking about such things.  
  
The messenger sighed, "Very well," and turned to leave.  
  
Duo was quick to change into more suitable clothing for the occasion soon after the servant left. He called for some armor and for a horse to be ready.  
  
The night sky was starting to tinge pink on the fringes as twilight approached when Duo found himself riding towards the decided location to meet General Ngai. Hundreds of thoughts raced through his mind as his braid whipped behind him. What had gotten into his father? He knew his father to be a passionate man when it seemed necessary, however, for him to act upon his emotions as suddenly as he had in this case was strange, but then of course, Duo did not know his father exceptionally well. He came upon a small encampment, and dismounted quickly, leading his horse in.  
  
"Ah, Prince Duo, you have arrived," a guard stated with a bow.  
  
Normally, Duo would have told the guard off for calling him 'Prince Duo' instead of just 'Master Duo,' but now was not the time to deal with his pet peeves.  
  
"I would like to speak with General Ngai." Duo said in a voice, which said that he meant business.  
  
"Of course, please follow me. Your horse will be taken care of."  
  
Duo, satisfied now that he was going to see the general, fell into step behind the guard and chanced a look around. The encampment was small, just enough for a fifteen man search team. He looked up as they reached the General's tent. Duo walked in.  
  
"You highness, I am deeply sorry that I could not great you personally, however, there were matter of the most urgent nature to attend to before your arrival," said a deep voice belonging to the general.  
  
"That is fine, how is the search coming along?"  
  
"Here is our situation..."  
  
---  
  
Heero gazed out the window, bored. Besides the war, nothing really happened around the palace. He was not allowed out into the streets because there was a fear of assassination or riots breaking out. He decided to call upon his mother and spend some time with her. As of late, she had been acting rather strangely. At first Heero had made it to be an effect of his father's sickness, but it did not seem that was problem. Something about her was strange, but he could not put his finger on it, then again, he did not converse with her much.  
  
Several minutes later, Heero was knocking politely on his mother's door. After about a minute of waiting, he started to frown. Where was his mother? For all he knew, she did not travel out of the palace very often.  
  
"Pardon, me sire," his mother's maidservant said with a bow, "but your mother has left the palace."  
  
"To where?"  
  
"Sir-" she hesitated just slightly, but Heero caught it. "Please continue," he said in a frosty voice.  
  
The maid caught hint of this, "Sire, she has gone to Baron Lehon's estate."  
  
Heero frowned, "When will she be back?"  
  
"Sire, all she told me was that she would return in the evening."  
  
"Very well, you are dismissed."  
  
The maidservant bowed and quickly departed from the hallway. Heero's brow was furrowed. He had met Baron Lehon several times, and had disliked him very much. It could have been his conceited nature, or his disgusting habit to show off everything he owned, but it was also the way he looked at Drusella and the way she looked back. They had been friends longer than Odin had been with Lehon, so it always seemed as if they knew something that no one else knew. It was not that Drusella could not have her privacy, but something about it just unnerved Heero.  
  
Sighing, Heero returned to his bed chamber and peered out the window. The sky was very dark for mid afternoon as a storm was approaching.  
  
---  
  
A frown crossed Duo's soft face. He had just received all the information about his father that had been recovered. Sadly, it was not much to go on. Duo sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day. All that he knew was that his father had rode off with armor and a horse. Of course, it was not difficult to figure out where he was going attired like that, however, his options of which direction his father went were a bit wider. The main battles were happening in the East, however, there were at least five main roads leading there, and who said his father did not take an alternative route through forests on a smaller road? Duo felt as if his brain were wrung out. There were so many possibilities.  
  
"Master Duo, you really should go back to the palace. You are in danger here."  
  
"I want to go find him."  
  
"I promise you that will be taken care of. Now I insist, please return. I do not think that your mother would have wanted you to be hurt in any way."  
  
His mother, he had to remember something about his mother. Oh, yes! The safe! She had told him about something in the safe, but right now that was not his main concern.  
  
"I will not leave until my father is found. If any search teams are going to look for him, I will be part of them."  
  
"I know that you are anxious to help, however, your nation needs you now more than ever. With the Queen now dead, God rest her soul, and your father missing, the people need you. You are in line to take over the crown. Think about it. Since your father could almost be considered missing in action or dead, heaven forbid, since he is not around, you are currently the authority figure with the most power. You are needed here."  
  
Duo was about to say something then stopped. He knew what General Ngai said was true, however, he expressed a strong desire to help his father. The nation did need a leader, he knew that, but he did not think that it would be him so soon. It had always been something far out in the horizon. Duo was, of course, trained in how to do such things, but that had been just training. But then an idea came.  
  
"Wait, the public does not know that you are here looking for my father, or that my mother is dead, correct?"  
  
"That is right..." Ngai replied slowly.  
  
"Are there any plans to tell them anytime soon?"  
  
"Not as of yet, we do not want to alarm them in this time of tension," Ngai was starting to catch on, "don't you think-"  
  
Duo cut him off, "Well, then if I were to become the authority figure so to speak then they would know that something has happened to my parents, right?"  
  
"Yes, however, that does not negate the fact that it is still dangerous out there."  
  
"General, I want to look for my father," Duo was being more blunt and harsh, "it will not be for long. I feel I must do this. Please, do not try to deter me."  
  
Ngai sighed heavily, "I cannot take responsibility for what happens out there."  
  
"I will not hold you responsible for anything," Duo said with a small smile.  
  
"Very well, follow me."  
  
---  
  
Heero sat alone at the table, waiting for his mother to join him. The storm raged on outside so he had spent his time reading in the library.  
  
After another fifteen minutes had passed, Heero was starting to get both worried and annoyed. Maybe his mother had been stalled somewhere in the brutal storm. Maybe something had happened to her. His father was on a thin thread of life, and upon the news that his wife was killed or injured, might just be enough of the scissors to cut the thread, meaning he, Heero, would become the leader to the throne. His father had expressed a wish to speak with Heero before he died. Heero had no idea what it was about, but he would not disrespect a dying man's wishes. Just as Heero was about to get up. A page walked into the room, carrying a note.  
  
Bowing the page spoke, "Prince Heero, your mother, the Queen, has sent a message to you."  
  
Frowning, Heero replied, "Very well, what did she say?"  
  
"She will remain at the Baron Lehon's estate for the night because the weather is highly unsatisfactory for travel."  
  
"Thank you." Heero dismissed the page and turned to his already cold dinner.  
  
---  
  
Duo was equipped with gear and on a horse, ready to go on a manhunt. Before leaving the palace gates, he had made sure that several advisors knew the protocol in any situations and gave orders to be carried out in his absence. To him it was somewhat strange to give out such orders as he was not of royal blood. Moreover, when people called him prince, Duo would think back to the old days when he was far from one.  
  
"Sire, we are ready to depart." Duo was pulled out of his reminiscence by a bowing guard.  
  
"Well, then, what are we waiting for?  
  
Duo and a troop of guards chose a path that was agreed upon by Duo and General Ngai as the best choice and rode down it in a fast pace. Duo felt the rush of the horse and was somewhat happy in this moment that he could finally get out of the palace despite the less than satisfactory circumstances.  
  
---  
  
Heero finished his training and was slowly walking back to the house. It was late evening and he just needed to shower before joining his mother at dinner. Well, she should be home by now. He walked into his room and stepped into the shower.  
  
After a relaxing shower, Heero attired himself for dinner and was soon downstairs. He sat down to wait. Ten minutes passed by and his mother did not show up so he called a servant and asked if she had arrived.  
  
"Oh, yes sir, she arrived a couple of hours ago."  
  
"Thank you." Heero was more annoyed than before now. She was in the palace, but why wasn't she down here? There were many times that Heero did not eat dinner with his mother, but those were different circumstances. She had just returned from Baron Lehon's estate, from a man whom he had taken a strong disliking to. Normally, he would not have been so tense.  
  
Fed up after another ten minutes of waiting, Heero got up and set out towards his mother's bedchamber. The Baron could have done something to her. Was she injured? But the servants would know unless she hid her injuries. Maybe Lehon had joined forces with the enemy. Upon this thought Heero picked up his pace and was soon at his mother's door. Instead of his usual knocking he barged in, but he was quite sorry. The sight which he beheld angered an alarmed him...  
  
---What did Heero see that alarmed him? What is in the safe? And what does Heero's dying father want to tell him? If you want to guess, go ahead.   
  
Sorry this chapter took so long to get out and isn't very long and that Heero is somewhat OC. I want to thank all who read and reviewed once again.Until next chapter...Hotaru 


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